An Ode to the Dead
by PennyForYourThoughts024
Summary: A young man's tale of how he paid a tribute to the victims of the killings at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys! Five Night's At Freddy's is a franchise that has seen both great heights and extreme lows, but something that I've always loved about the games is the rich story that's behind them all. And today, I bring you a slightly different take on the classic story of the first game. It doesn't have to do with the events of the game, per se, but it's definitely based around it.**

 **DISCLAIMER: This is a non profit fanfiction. Five Night's At Freddy's is owned by Scott Cawthon. Please support the official release.  
**

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"Ok class, remember, the talent show is coming up in 2 days, so make sure all of those who are going to participate have their acts ready – you'll have to be at the top of your game to snag first place! Any questions? Yes, what is it, Roxas?"

"What's the prize money for first place?"

The entire class suddenly leaned forward, suddenly interested. Mrs. Parker looked at them and sighed. "Is that really the important thing here, Roxas? The point of the talent show is to exhibit the wonderful diversity that the students of this school have in them, and to show all of us that we're not alone – frankly speaking, it shouldn't matter how much money the winner gets." Roxas leaned back in his chair and scoffed. He leaned towards Angelo and said under his breath, "That new bong I had my eye on the other day tells me a different story." Angelo sniggered and nodded. In front of them, Dawn sighed. "Won't those guys just give it a break, already? I mean, don't they get high enough every day?" Zaden shrugged and replied, "Well, the thing about weed is that you're never satisfied – you always want more and more of it."

"Have you done it before?"

"Once. Took three hits; didn't feel a thing. You can imagine how disappointed everyone in the room was." Dawn laughed and said, "Of course – imagine that. Mr. Goody Two Shoes taking bong shots? Wow – I would have loved to see that." Zaden smiled and asked, "Have you?" Dawn shook her head. "No – I try to stay as far away from drugs as much as possible. Drinking on the other hand…."

"Trust me, you don't need to go into that – I've seen enough to last a lifetime."

"Dawn and Zaden, if you have anything useful to contribute to the discussion, feel free to share with the entire class."

There were loads of sniggers coming from every direction of the class as both Zaden and Dawn stiffened and looked at the floor, slightly red from embarrassment. A voice from the back of the room faintly said, "Get a room, you two." Dawn's eyebrows narrowed at this and she had a half mind to retaliate using a few choice swear words, but she remembered where she was and forced herself to keep her mouth shut. Mrs. Parker sighed and said, "Anyway, as I was saying, the prize money should be irrelevant. The whole point of this talent show is for all of us to come together in this time of need and remind each other that we're all here for each other." Zaden sighed and stared absentmindedly out the window, pondering what his teacher hoped to achieve by saying stuff like that.

It had been 3 weeks since the incident at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, an incident that no one really liked to talk about. Five children had been brutally murdered and stuffed inside the animatronic suits of the mascots of the pizzeria. Zaden knew that the pizzeria had always been a shady place, but he never suspected it would be the site of such a horrifying event. He had been there twice or thrice, and it always looked run down and cheaply made, almost as if the person behind it decided to continue on with a bad business plan because he had no viable backup options. The walls were stained with cheese and pepperoni, and the white paint had started to fade, giving the entire place an almost empty look. The floor creaked and the tables seemed ready to collapse every time someone lay a finger on them. And to top it off, the animatronic characters themselves, despite being designed to be kid friendly and inviting, looked downright terrifying. Freddy always looked like he was going to take a bite out of your head, his unusually large hands making all sorts of weird gestures all the time, Chica just creeped you out by staring at you with her head tilted to the right, her bright purple eyes boring into your soul, and whenever Bonnie lifted his guitar, you felt a desire to run away, because you felt like he was going to use it to smash you into the ground. It didn't help that Foxy was kept in the backroom, permanently out of order due to a malfunction that resulted in a little girl's frontal lobe being bitten off completely. Quite frankly, it was a wonder that the restaurant had even re-opened after that, but somehow it managed to survive, if only just. However, after the child's bodies were discovered, it was only a matter of time before the restaurant shut down for good.

When he and Dawn had talked of the incident in the weeks after it happened, Zaden always attributed the deaths to carelessness of the parents in both leaving the children to their own device and going to the damn pizzeria in the first place. "It's so fucking shady – I don't know why any kid would want to go there to eat pizza, or why any parent would want to take their kid there even after seeing how shitty it is.", he said to Dawn after she asked why he was so apathetic to the deaths. He and Dawn didn't talk about it after that, but he always suspected that his girlfriend was a little freaked out by how he looked at the situation.

 **RINGGGG!**

Zaden slowly stood up as the students all rushed to the door, wanting to get out of class as soon as possible. He calmly packed his bag, making sure he didn't leave anything behind, before approaching Dawn's table. By this time, she had finished packing as well, so the pair walked towards the door in silence. Since they both lived within walking distance of the school, they usually went home together.

"So what are you going to do for the talent show?"

Zaden shrugged in reply. "I don't know, really. I mean, I guess I'm half decent as singing, but it's always been something I'm personally interested in rather than something I do because I'm good at it." Dawn playfully punched his shoulder and said, "You should sing an original song – I'm sure people will love it." Zaden looked at her as if she had gone completely insane. "Are you kidding? I've never written a song before – it takes loads of hard work to do that! And I don't want to give some kind of half assed performance…..so that's pretty much out of the question."

The pair had been walking home for a while now, and as was the custom, the walk took them past Freddy Fazbear's. Today, as they approached the dilapadated building, Zaden paused and stared at the entrance. Dawn stopped in front of him, puzzled. Zaden said slowly,

"Five kids died that day, right?" Dawn nodded, her expression grim. Zaden continued, "What happened to the killer?" Dawn sighed. "The killer was caught soon after the act itself. It was like he wasn't even trying to prevent himself from getting caught. The trial is set to happen in a couple of days. I hope the bastard gets executed on the spot." Zaden raised his eyebrows, surprised at the venom in Dawn's voice. He said, "That's unlike you – doesn't everyone deserve a chance?" Dawn shook her head and stared at Zaden resolutely.

"Not people like him – they deserve to burn for what they did." Zaden thought about saying something, but figured it was better to remain silent. Dawn shook her head in sadness and continued on. Zaden caught up to her and held her hand tightly. She looked down before smiling and moving closer to him. The pair continued home in silence, the wind blowing gently against their faces.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey guys! Second chapter's up, so enjoy!**

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"Mom, can I ask you a question?"

"What is it?"

"Walk me through everything you know about the Freddy Fazbear incident."

Zaden's mother stopped doing the dishes and looked at her son in surprise. "Why do you want to know about that?" Zaden shook his head and said, "Mrs. Parker mentioned in class today, and I was curious about what exactly happened. Surely you and Dad would know about it, being lawyers and all that." Zaden's mom pursed her lips and said, "Yes, I do know details, but…." Zaden narrowed his eyes. "What's wrong? Is it confidential?" His mom nodded. 'Quite frankly, it's not necessary that you know the details – it's very explicit." Zaden said, "I'm just curious, Mom; nothing more. If you don't want to tell me, it's fine." He started to walk away, shaking his head in disappointment when he felt a tug on his arm. His mom sighed and pulled her hand back. "Don't you get all huffy with me young man." She cracked a small smile and continued, "I'll tell you. But you have to keep in mind that some of the information I have is confidential and not exactly available for public scrutiny, so you can't go around spreading everything to everyone." Zaden nodded and sat down at the sofa, his mother doing the same. For some reason, Zaden felt a mixture of trepidation and excitement.

"According to the facts, the killer walked into the establishment at the restaurant in the afternoon. He had been working there as an employee for a week, and he was supposed to be handling the birthday event that was happening on the day. Everything was normal when the party started – he ushered the kids into the dining area and sat them down while the animatronics performed their song. Then he and a couple of other staff members served pizza and everything was smooth. But after the kids started running around and playing, he put on a mascot head and lured children into a secluded room somewhere in the back of the establishment." Zaden nodded and asked, "What do you mean 'a mascot head?'" Zaden's mom sighed and said, 'He made some kind of model of a Freddy Fazbear head and used it to fool the kids into thinking that he was another animatronic. Naturally, the kids believed him and all of them went into the back room with him. Then, he took off his mask and….." She sighed and shut her eyes tight, as if trying to will the events that occurred away from her mind. Zaden leaned forward, both terrified and eager to know what happened next. "And then?"

"He…he killed them in the most brutal ways imaginable. One of them was stabbed through the head and then multiple times through the stomach. Another's throat was slit and he was thrown against the wall, and the youngest of them all…..a little girl….her eyes….." She winced and turned away from Zaden, who sat still, his head bowed. He closed his eyes and imagined the tiny bodies strewn around the floor, with blood splattered everywhere. He shuddered and gulped. Regaining his composure, he asked in a low voice, "How did they find out it was him?"

"Security cameras caught the entire incident. It was like he wasn't even trying to be sneaky about the whole thing, so I don't know what he was planning to do. Maybe he's just some crazy bastard who got some sick, twisted enjoyment out of slaughtering children. He really should get the death sentence, if you ask me. I'm happy I'm not trying to defend him – I honestly don't see how I could." Zaden was still in shock at the description of the brutal deaths. He recalled what he told Dawn earlier regarding the children.

" _ **I don't know why any kid would want to go there to eat pizza, or why any parent would want to take their kid there even after seeing how shitty it is."**_

' _Maybe I was right about that…but even so, nobody deserves this – much less children….!'_ Just thinking of the grisly scene left him nauseated. He forced the thought from his mind and said, "When is the trial?"

"In a couple of days."

Zaden remained quiet for a brief moment before suddenly standing up and saying, "Do you know the name of the parents who lost their kids that day?" Zaden's mother looked at him in confusion before saying slowly, "Yeah….what do you need them for, though?"

Zaden grabbed his bicycle keys and said, "There's something I want to do." He ran up to his room and grabbed a piece of paper. He thought for a while, choosing his words carefully, before smiling and writing something down. He stared at the words, wondering how he could incorporate them into his plan, before folding the paper and keeping it in his pocket. He went downstairs, and asked his mother for the names once more. She gave him the names of all the parents, and where they lived. When she finished telling him, she asked, "Do you plan to visit all of them?" Zaden nodded. "I think that, after knowing the entire story, I need to see them to tell them how sorry I am." Before heading out the door, he turned to his mother and said, "Thanks for telling me the story. I think I finally have an idea of what I can do for the talent show now." His mom stared at him, puzzled, as he smiled and walked out into the garage, where his bike lay. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and called Dawn.

"Hello?"

"Hey beautiful – fancy going on a ride?"

"Oh? Where to, may I ask?"

"You'll see. Meet me outside my house in 5. Use your bike."

"Ok sure – see you later!"

Zaden opened the garage door and dragged his bike outside. It wasn't long before Dawn came riding on her bike. He grinned when he saw her, and when she stopped in front of him, he ran towards her and hugged her tightly. Blushing, she said in a flustered voice, "Wow, Zaden – We've only been apart for a couple of hours…what's going on?" Zaden smiled and said, "Nothing. I'm just glad you're here." Dawn narrowed her eyebrows in confusion, but still smiled back and hugged her boyfriend. The pair separated and Zaden said, "We're going to go visit some families. I figured you would want to come with me." Dawn nodded and asked, "But who are these families?" Zaden's expression turned grim as he said,

"The families of the kids who died in the Freddy Fazbear attack. I need to know who they were." Dawn tilted her head in confusion and asked why, to which he replied, "Because if I don't, I can't carry out my plan for the talent show." Not waiting for Dawn's reply, Zaden got on his bike and sped off, Dawn following closely behind.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey guys! Third chapter is up! The next chapter will most probably be the last one, and if you guys really follow the series in all facets, you may be able to figure out exactly what the tribute could be ;) Any guesses?**

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"So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company today?"

Both Zaden and Dawn shifted uncomfortably in their seats as the young woman looked between them, a warm smile on her face. Zaden decided that it would be better if they were blunt and straight to the point, so he said hesitantly,

"We wanted to come see you because of what happened to your daughter at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza a couple of weeks ago." As soon as he mentioned the name of the restaurant, she stiffened and her smile faded. She looked away pointedly and both Dawn and Zaden looked down. The silence grew more voluminous with every passing second, and Dawn was about to say something when a voice said, "Her name was Cynthia." Both of them turned around to see a young man with a curiously sad expression on his face. Zaden and Dawn watched as he walked around them and pulled up a chair, sitting opposite to the young couple. "What did you want to come here to talk about regarding her? Anything related to the trial?" Cynthia's mother looked at them with hopeful eyes, and Zaden had to look away. He couldn't stand the piercing gaze that was being directed at him. Dawn said, "Well…..it's nothing related to the trial or anything like that….we just came to say that we're sorry…." Dawn looked away, her eyes screwed shut. Zaden took a deep breath and said, "My mother just told me the story of what happened. I didn't know the details up till now." Cynthia's parents remained silent. Zaden continued, "Our school talent show is coming up. I'm going to pay tribute to all of the victims of the attack. So that's why I came here to ask you for a small favor….."

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"Zaden, what exactly are you planning?"

Zaden looked at his girlfriend and grinned. "You'll find out, eventually. Right now we need to head to the next house." Dawn sighed and said, "I swear, if this is some half assed plan that you didn't think through, I am going to kill you." Zaden snorted and said, "Kill me? I mean, you could always try – but I'm not expecting much from the girl that hurt herself by trying to punch me." Dawn glared at her boyfriend and said in a shrill voice, "That was different! I wasn't REALLY trying to hurt you, which is why it backfired like it did." Zaden laughed and shook his head. "If you say so. Now, onto the next house." Zaden sped ahead of Dawn, leaving her in the dust. She grumbled and was about to accelerate herself when she noticed a piece of paper in front of her. Curious, she got off her bicycle and picked it up.

 **It's only a nightmare, and soon we'll be set free.**

Recognizing Zaden's handwriting, she resolved to ask him about it later. Folding it and shoving it in her pocket, she got back on her cycle and sped to catch up to him.

* * *

"Well, that's the last house, isn't it?"

Dawn nodded. The pair had gone to 5 houses that were spaced at quite a distance from each other in the space of 45 minutes, so understandably, they were both very tired. The emotional toll it had taken on both of them didn't help either. Dawn had come close to breaking out into tears many times, but somehow she had held it all in. As they were getting their bikes to the main road, Dawn tapped Zaden on the shoulder and said, "So…what was the purpose of this, again?" Zaden sighed, and motioned for Dawn to sit on the sidewalk. Confused, she complied and Zaden started explaining.

"After I got home, I asked my mom for more details about the killings that took place at the restaurant. I thought that being a lawyer, she would know more about it. But what she told me rocked me to my core….it was unlike anything I've ever heard. They…they were children, Dawn! And they were murdered in horrible ways! I….I almost puked – it was awful." Zaden looked away, not wanting to meet Dawn's eyes. He took a deep breath and continued, "You were right before – the person who did this…he deserves to burn. He should be executed, but before he does, he should look into the eyes of each of the children's parents and see what kind of anguish he has caused them." Zaden's voice held venom that Dawn had never seen before. "The bastard should feel remorse and beg for forgiveness before his damn head is chopped off."

"Zaden…"

Zaden turned toward Dawn, to see her wide eyes staring at him with an expression akin to fear. He quickly realized what happened and shook his head. "Sorry about that – but what he did makes me so mad. Sometimes in order to beat monsters, one must abandon their humanity. Do you really think that this man deserves any form of humane treatment?" Dawn shook her head and said in a small voice, "No, and I agree – he should be punished for what he did, but to hear you say it with such venom and hatred….it's kind of scary." Zaden chuckled and reached for Dawn's hand. Grasping it warmly, he said in a gentle voice, "Sorry it frightened you – I guess I got carried away in the moment." Dawn smiled and nodded.

"Oh, by the way, what's this all about?"

Dawn reached into her pocket and pulled out the piece of paper that dropped earlier. Upon seeing it, Zaden's eyes widened and he frantically searched his pockets before groaning. "I knew these pockets weren't secure at all….(sigh) I'm gonna have to get a new jacket." He motioned for Dawn to give him the paper, and she handed it over. He said, "This…well…you could say that it's the cornerstone around which my entire plan revolves." He folded it up and kept it in his pocket before saying, "Trust me – you'll see more on the day of the talent show. And hey…thanks for coming with me. Honestly, I don't think I could have done this alone." Dawn chuckled and pulled him in for a kiss. Zaden was surprised, but kissed her back, nonetheless. They soon broke apart and Dawn said, "No problem, doofus. Now you'd better get going before your mom gets worried – it's already late and we have school tomorrow. Speaking of, my mom is probably already calling yours, so let's head back." Zaden nodded and the young couple sped off.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey guys! So this is the final chapter of 'An Ode to the Dead', and I before anything, I have to give alot of thanks to Nathan Sharp (also known as NateWantsToBattle) for this amazing song :) It's truly a masterpiece and I absolutely adore it. I've used his song 'Nightmare' in this chapter, so please check out his channel on YouTube, which I will link at the end of the chapter. Enjoy! :)**

 **DISCLAMIER: This is a non profit fanfiction. Five Night's at Freddy's is owned by Scott Cawthon. Please support the official release.**

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"Welcome one, welcome all, to Centurion High School's Talent Show! Here you will find many unique individuals who can do amazing things, and we all hope that we can come together in this difficult time and remind ourselves that it's ok to love and live life, even when adversaries are strewn about our path. First and foremost, I would like to request a moment of silence for Cynthia, Billy, Fred, Folger, and Axel, who were taken from us too soon."

The room went quiet and still, and Zaden sighed. He had always hated silences like this, because he felt that more often than not, people didn't think of the reason why they're having a moment of silence in the first place, but rather, they just think about something random to fill up the moment. Next to him, Dawn stood with her hands behind her back and her head bowed in respect for the dead. Zaden looked at her and smiled. He had always admired her sincerity, even if she was a little naïve at times. As soon as a minute passed, Mrs. Parker took the microphone and said, "Now, without further ado, I present to you, the first act of the night, Paul's Stand-Up Comedy!" There was a ripple of applause as Paul walked onto stage, and while Zaden was sure that he had some great jokes to liven up the crowd, he couldn't stay for too long as he had to make sure that everything was in place for his performance. He turned to head backstage, when Dawn tapped him on the shoulder and said, "Still not going to tell me what you're doing?" Zaden grinned and said, "Nope – you'll find out soon enough." With that, he left, leaving Dawn a little miffed.

On his way backstage, Zaden passed by various other students preparing for their acts. Quite frankly, there were a lot more people than he was expecting. He saw people with magic trick sets, skateboards and roller skates, and even with robotic sets. He smiled at the amount of enthusiasm that was being shown for the talent show, but then realized that most of them were in it for the prize money. Shaking the thought from his head, he continued looking for Mrs. Parker, eventually finding her near the entrance to the stage. She held a piece of paper and kept looking through it while calling out names and making sure that they were ready to take the stage. He approached her and said, "Mrs. Parker, I have a small request." She looked at him and said, "What is it, Zaden? Make it quick, please, because there are still many more acts that have to take stage, yours included."

"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about."

Mrs. Parker looked at him in confusion, as Zaden continued. "I want to make my act the last one. I have a feeling that it will embody the entire point of the talent show. Is this possible?" Mrs. Parker narrowed her eyes and said, "Well, it depends. What is your act?"

"A song."

"Band performance or single performance?"

"Single."

Mrs. Parker sighed and said, "Well, all right. But I do hope that it is worth it." Zaden grinned in response and said, "Trust me, it is."

The acts continued on, with a varied response to each. There were musical performances, magic shows, and so much more. What marveled Zaden was the fact that no one screwed up. He expected something or the other to go wrong at one point at least, but that didn't happen. Everything was flawlessly done.

The time finally came for his act. He quickly talked to Drake, who was managing the lights and curtains for the stage, and told him exactly what he wanted. He took a deep breath and braced himself. Mrs. Parker's voice boomed through the microphone, "And now, for our final act of the night, Zaden, who is going to be performing a song." A ripple of applause greeted Zaden as he walked on to the stage. He sat on the stool and adjusted his guitar, while the crowd waited in silence. He took a deep breath and said, "This song is an original composition by me – I dedicate it to the 5 children who lost their lives on that tragic day at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. Fred, Folger, Cynthia, Billy and Axel – you may be gone, but you will never be forgotten. This is Nightmare." He motioned for Drake to shut the lights and focus one on him. He looked at the crowd and saw each of the parents he had visited sitting at various places in the crowd. He took a deep breath and started to sing.

 _Just sleep…just dream….._

 _Just sleep…..just dream…_

 _Just sleep….just dream…_

He started to play his guitar, the melody flowing through the auditorium like bells in a church. It was smooth and gentle, the notes flowing into one another, intertwining to create a beautiful sound.

 _In the back of my mind,_

 _I've been trying to chase a monster this whole time_

 _But I couldn't see,_

 _The monster was me,_

 _And no one heard our cries…._

 _I've run out of tears,_

 _The time has come for me to disappear…_

 _Get me out of this mess, and away from the stress,_

 _Set me free so I can rest_

 _We're only kids who lost our way_

 _But if we wait long enough we will be saved_

 _Just sleep…just dream_

 _This isn't fair, no, we're just not what we seem  
We wanna fly, but our souls are trapped inside,_

 _It's not a game, not to blame, we're forced to hide_

 _Just sleep…..just dream…_

 _It's only a nightmare, and soon we'll be set free…_

He looked out into the crowd of people and saw Dawn standing at the back. Her eyes met his and she nodded reassuringly. He smiled and continued to strum his guitar as the next verse came up.

 _And I've been crying out for help,_

 _I know I bite but I mean well,_

 _Can't you see my disguise, I'm broken inside_

 _Can you break this spell?_

 _All the ghosts from before…._

 _They're knocking and they're breaking down your door….._

 _So please set us free, now you have the key,_

 _Cause I can't take the pain no more….!_

As Zaden sung the main chorus, his mind couldn't help but flash back to the images of the children, lying cold and dead inside the walls of the cursed restaurant. He imagined the bodies being crushed and cramped inside those sweaty, disgusting suits, the wires and gears burrowing into their skin as the head was fitted on top. He imagined the killer's sadistic smile as he drove the knife into the children, covering their mouths and muffling their cries of pain. He finished the chorus and bowed his head, screwing his eyes shut as he continued playing. His hands movied across the instrument like second nature. At the back of the auditorium, Dawn watched him, concerned. She knew that it wasn't easy to come up on stage and perform, let alone perform an original song of this nature, but she admired how her boyfriend still wanted to go ahead, and sing so beautifully and melodiously.

On stage, Zaden looked up and once again, saw the faces of the parents. He imagined the sense of pain and loss they must have felt when they realized that their children were taken from them, far beyond their time. He imagined the sorrow and rage they must have felt when they saw the killer, even as he was being led away by the cops. All of the emotions Zaden was feeling built up inside him and he let them loose in the last verse of the song.

 _We're only kids who lost our way_

 _But if we wait long enough we will be saved_

 _Just sleep…just dream_

 _This isn't fair, no, we're just not what we seem  
We wanna fly, but our souls are trapped inside,_

 _It's not a game, not to blame, we're forced to hide_

 _Just sleep…..just dream…_

 _It's only a nightmare, and soon we'll be set free…_

He finished singing and he played the last note of the song with a flourish. The auditorium sat in silence for a moment before it erupted in unanimous applause. Nearly everyone got to their feet as they clapped. Zaden grinned at the appreciation. He saw Dawn at the back of the auditorium, her eyes shining with tears of happiness. Mrs. Parker waked on to stage and said, "Well, that was certainly worth it. Excellent job, Zaden."

Zaden nodded with a smile on his face. He closed his eyes and sighed.

The night passed in a flurry of celebration and joy, and somewhere out there, far above the realm of humans, five tiny voices could be heard, whispering into the wind,

"Thank you."

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 **Link to Nate's channel** : user/NateWantsToBattle


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